01What the research found
RECEIPT
The study
Mississippi: 48 bucks through the moon phases
WhereCentral MississippiSample48 bucks, GPS, every 15 minutesWhenTwo years, September through February
What they did
Tracked GPS-collared bucks and compared their activity across the moon's phases.
What they found
- "The moon being full, new, or anything in between does not cause our bucks to become more or less active."
- When the moon was rising or setting, bucks may have bedded about 7 minutes later than usual.
- At night, no meaningful change in movement on full moon or new moon nights.
- "The rut affects buck activity much more than the moon."
Limits
- An extension report, not a peer-reviewed paper.
- One region.
- The main analyses focus on daylight hours.
Source. Neary, Strickland, Resop, Demarais and McKinley. 2025. "Lunar Legends: Does the Moon Influence Buck Activity?" Mississippi State University Extension Publication 4068. extension.msstate.edu → mdwfp.com →
RECEIPT
The study
South Carolina: solunar charts against GPS bucks
WhereBrosnan Forest, Dorchester County, South CarolinaSample38 adult bucks, ages 1 to 4+, GPS, every 30 minutesWhen2010-2012
What they did
Compared buck activity with one popular online solunar chart, which rates each day 1 to 4 stars.
What they found
- The chart's day ratings were "not an effective predictor of deer activity."
- Deer were most likely to be active in the hours around sunset.
- Moon events did have some link to activity. On days nearer a new or full moon, activity at moonrise and moonset was higher.
- The researchers said the charts may be misleading about how the moon relates to activity.
Limits
- Bucks only, one site.
- One chart's day ratings.
Source. Sullivan, Ditchkoff, Collier, Ruth and Raglin. 2016. "Movement with the Moon: White-tailed Deer Activity and Solunar Events." Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 3: 225-232. seafwa.org →
02My read
MY READMy tactic, not a study result
The moon doesn't pick my sits. The rut calendar and the wind do.
That's how I hunt it. Mississippi State found the rut affects buck activity much more than the moon, but neither study tested the wind.
03Field notes
- Don't skip a sit because the moon chart gives it fewer stars.
- Plan around the rut and the wind.
- Check your own state's season dates and legal hours with your state wildlife agency.